Friday, March 21, 2008

All concerns to be addressed -Tok Mat Warrior

Negri Sembilan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (right) chairing the first exco meeting of the new line-up at Wisma Negeri, Seremban, yesterday.SEREMBAN: Islamic affairs and Malay traditions and customs; new villages; human capital development; and, public safety have been included in the portfolios of state executive councillors -- a clear signal that the state government is determined to act on the concerns of the people.In announcing the exco line-up yesterday, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the inclusion of these, together with the estate affairs portfolio, would ensure that no one was marginalised.Speaking after chairing the first exco meeting of the new line-up, Mohamad said he would be in charge of Islamic Affairs and Malay Traditions and Customs. He will also oversee Finance and Investment, Land and Natural Resources, Public Safety and Information.Siow Shen Tin will be in charge of New Villages, as well as Housing, Local Government, and Transport, while V.S. Mogan will be in charge of Estate Affairs and Human Resources.The rest are Datuk Ismal Lasim (Infrastructure, Water, Energy and Telecommunications), Ismail Taib (Health, Science, Technology and Innovation), Mohd Razi Kail (Tourism, Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage), Zainab Nasir (Women Development, Family and Communal Well-Being), Datuk Hasim Rusdi (Rural Development, Consumer Affairs and Public Amenities), Datuk Yunus Rahmat (Agriculture, Agro-based Industry, Entrepreneurial and Co-operative Development), Abd Samad Ibrahim (Human Capital Development, Youth and Sports) and Shamsulkahar Mohd Deli (Education and Higher Learning Institutions)."I want the executive councillors (in charge of new villages and estate affairs) to ensure that those living in new villages receive their fair share of public facilities, while for those working in estates, we don't want them to be cheated or exploited. We want to ensure that they receive their wages, proper housing and educational facilities," Mohamad said.He said the executive councillors in charge of human capital development would look into the welfare of school leavers who could not make it into institutions of higher learning."We want to ensure that school-leavers are not neglected and end up becoming a social problem. It is the duty of this executive councillor to see that youth are given the opportunity to pursue skills training and get proper jobs and have a good future."Since seven of the 10 executive councillors were first-time assemblymen, he said he would give them a month to familiarise themselves with their portfolios.He also gave them a month to declare their assets, a copy of which would be given to the state Anti-Corruption Agency."I will do the same. I expect every executive councillor to be at his or her constituency every day. They have to attend meetings daily, except Thursdays, from 8am to 1pm, after which I want them to go back to their constituencies and work. On Thursdays, I expect them to spend the entire day in their constituencies."